This year’s Redbreast Dream Cask Pedro Ximénez Edition has been one of the most hotly anticipated Irish Whiskey launches for World Whiskey Day 2019.
Deciding to launch once again on the global day that celebrates all categories of whiskey, gave the Redbreast team the opportunity to successfully build great anticipation for the next members only release, without any pertinent information being leaked ahead of time, which in today’s digital world is a feat to be applauded.
To see the full run down on Midleton’s first ever Pedro Ximénez cask whiskey, just click here.
To check out my tasting notes for this year’s 20 year old PX finish Redbreast whiskey, keep scrolling.
Tasting Notes:
Details: Bottled at 52.2% ABV (104.4 Proof). A single cask release, the liquid was a marriage of four different casks, matured in three different cask types before being married and vatted in this PX Sherry butt, for finishing.
Colour: burnt amber.
Nose: a very full nose bursting with juicy fleshy red fruits, with bright undertones of sour plums and creamy treacle toffee and vanilla. A hint of bitter cocoa nibs and clove follow behind this fruity nose. Even at 52.2% ABV there are no aggressive alcohol notes. This has a fantastic nose.
Palate: This whiskey has an amazingly viscous mouthfeel that delivers a whirlwind of flavour with your first sip. Liquorice, bitter chocolate and mountains of stewed fruits explode on the palate with bounties of cinnamon and soft pot still spice. This evolves and allows a waxy, leather undertone to shine through before the finish, which gives the palate great depth and length.
Finish: Long spice forward finish with no loss in mouth coating viscosity. Dark stewed fruits remain with a delicious waxy leather undertone.
This is a fantastic whiskey that stands up brilliantly at 52.2% ABV. I added a small amount of water to bring my sample down to 46% ABV (92 proof) for a comparative tasting and this is what I found:
Sample ABV 46% ABV
Nose: Stewed fruits, tonnes of cinnamon and bundles of biscuity grain come to the fore. A hint of peppermint hides behind vanilla, plum and delicious spices.
Palate: An explosion of cinnamon, and tonnes of nuttiness coat the palate. Almond and hazelnuts dance with bouquets of stewed dark fruits with a caramelised apple tart quality hidden underneath. Great mouthfeel with a delicious pot still spice.
Finish: A prolonged, peppery, finish with almond, and a residual dark fruits.